There are many routes leading to the cathedral of St James in Santiago de Compostela and the Portuguese Coastal Way is probably the prettiest and certainly one of the quieter itineraries. Our route covers the last 80 miles /128km of the route from Baiona to Santiago and therefore qualifies for the Santiago de Compostela certificate. We can expect a wonderful mixture of coastline, quaint villages, and woodland walking plus sites of historic interest.
Our journey starts in medieval Baiona, an elegant town on the Atlantic Coast and follows a beautiful stretch of the Atlantic to Vigo with its many beaches and interesting architecture. From here, we head to Redondela and inland, merging with the classic Portuguese Way. We continue our journey passing many small villages and towns such as Pontesampaio, wonderful Pontevedra, the spa town of Caldas de Reis and Padrón, home of the famous peppers. Your main bag will be transferred each day so that you only need to carry a day pack throughout the holiday.
We generally stay at 2 to 3 star accommodation with the menu del dia included on all but 2 evenings – a 3 course meal with wine. Breakfast are usually continental with croissants, toast, yoghurt and fruit the staples. On the other 2 evenings your guide will organise for you to eat as a group.

Please note that although this route is called the Portuguese Way, this section is entirely within Spain.

Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive at Santiago de Compostela airport and transfer to Baiona
Day 2: Walk Baiona to Vigo along the coast 16.5 miles / 26km
Day 3: Vigo to Arcade coastal walk 14.5 miles / 23km
Day 4: Arcade to Pontevedra heading north away from the coast. Free afternoon to explore 7.5 miles / 12km
Day 5: Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis woodland and rural walking to a spa town 13.5 miles / 22km
Day 6: Caldas de Reis to Padron forests and rural walking 11.5 miles / 18km
Day 7: Padron to Santiago de Compostela our final approach through rural Galicia 15.5 miles/ 25km
Day 8: Departure to Santiago de Compostela airport or optional extra night (+£100 tbc on booking)

Feedback from a prevous trip: “The Portuguese Camino was a super walking holiday and well worth doing. Everything was well organized and ran smoothly. The accommodation was good. The hiking was mostly on the flat through a variety of sceneries from coastal paths to woods to cities. Clare gives snippets of interesting information along the way and guides the group to the best coffee/beer and lunch stops. We laughed our way along the Camino….even those with blisters!” Kathryn

• Price
• Grade
• Accommodation
• Guide
• Travel

Single ensuite: £1580 per personTwin shared ensuite room: £250 discount per person If there is nobody to share with the single price will be applied. Included in the price 7 nights’ B&B accommodation; 5 evening meals - 3 courses with wine; Private transfer to / from Santiago de Compostela airport meeting certain flights; Luggage transfer along the route (20kg limit); Pilgrim’s passport and certificate Not included International flight; Lunch; Insurance; Personal expenses Extra night’s B&B in Santiago available - £100 single/ £140 twin (subject to change)

The holiday is graded as moderate but please be aware that there are some long walking days. The walk is on good tracks throughout and there are some gradients involved at some point each day along the way. You will need to be comfortable walking long distances over several days. Unlike the Spanish Camino route, the Portuguese Coastal Way benefits from a coastal breeze.

We stay at small hotels and guesthouses along the way. They are generally 2 to 3 star and rooms are ensuite. The rooms are often simple but clean and comfortable. All guesthouses are near the route and, if we are unable to secure our chosen location, transport is provided to and from the camino.

Clare Kelly, owner of Her on a Hill, has been a walking guide for over 20 years and is looking forward to returning to the Camino.

There will be a single transfer by private transport meeting certain flights arriving at Santiago de Compostela. We will aim to select flights from at least London and Manchester which arrive as close together as possible. Flights will be confirmed 12 weeks in advance. You can purchase your flight independently via the airline’s website. If you prefer to have a flight booked on your behalf that has ATOL protection and / or you would like to add on extra days at a different accommodation then please contact our preferred partner, Paul Graham at Explorer Travel. You can call Paul on 01213 573 866 or email him with your enquiry: paul.graham@explorertravel.co.uk The journey time to Baiona is approximately 1.5 hours. For the return journey, taxis are provided for the recommended flights. If you choose a different return flight time, you can opt for an inexpensive shuttle bus or taxi service. The journey to the airport takes 15 – 20 minutes by taxi.